Then it tried to pound off the cylinder. The flying arms next took the roof supports, snapping them like pipe stems, and buried the fireman in a heap of debris.
And, stripped of everything except her cylinder, No. 93 dashed on--a wreck.
The battered locomotive continued its course for nearly half a mile, with engineer and fireman crouching back on the coal of the tender. There was a diversion of the circling driving rod as the pace slackened.
Then a violent hissing sound told of a leak somewhere in the machinery. The great steel locomotive slowed down like a crippled giant.
"She's dead," said Roberts, choking a queer sound way down in his throat. "Old 93!"
Ralph jumped to the ground and the fireman after him. The latter went all around the stalled locomotive, shaking his head mournfully.
Ralph hastened ahead out of the glare of the headlight and peered down the rails. For nearly two minutes he stood, shading his eyes with one hand to bring the disappearing runaway within focus. The wild engine had sped on its way untrammeled. He made out that she had slowed up. In the distance he fancied he saw a brisk form spring from the cab. Ralph figured it out that a switch had been set.
Then the runaway started again. He fancied that some one jumped from the cab after the engine had got in motion. He could catch the sharp clack-clack of the flying wheels ringing in the distance.
"She is running wild now," murmured the intent young railroader, and then started with a shock.
A horrid clamor extended out. It must have been a mile away, but the air was death-like, it was so still, and the merest sound seemed to vibrate clearly.
Crash, crash, crash! It sounded as if a building had collapsed against other tottering structures, tumbling them all into a mass of ruins.
"They've done it, whatever it is," said Ralph, and ran back speedily to No. 93 and Roberts. The latter stood with his ear bent in the direction of the runaway, and his usually jolly face was serious.
"What's up, Fairbanks?" he asked at once.
"A smashup, I judge," answered Ralph. "Can you dig out any lanterns?"
"Those two on the end of the tender are all right. There's another under my seat, if it hasn't got smashed."
"Run back with the two and signal both tracks," ordered Ralph. "I'm going ahead to see what has happened."